Best Picks for FPL Gameweek 9: Midfielders and Forwards

Fantasy Premier League returns this week and there are a few fixtures that can be abused for fantasy gain. Both Manchester clubs face juicy matchups while there are some possible clean sheets out there for cheap defenders. Friday Night Football is a thing again this week so don’t forget to set your line-ups early. Part two of this ‘Best Picks’ article will focus on midfielders and forwards, which should help you sort your Tammy Abrahams from your Charlie Austins.

Midfielders

Budget Option: Christian Atsu (5.1m)

What you have to remember about players with low price tags is that they are always going to be streaky scorers in fantasy football. With that in mind you have to play the matchups and there aren’t many better than Crystal Palace at home. Despite the Eagles recent win over Chelsea it’s difficult to ignore their diabolical start to the season and Newcastle have worked their way up to ninth position in the league table. Atsu has bagged a goal and two assists so far and this could be a game in which he adds to his tally.

Budget Option: Richarlison (6.2m)

The hype is real. I outlined in Part 1 of this article why Watford stand a good chance against a struggling Chelsea side and Richarlison has been the Hornets standout player this season. Three goals and three assists in eight games this season have fired the Brazilian winger to the eight place spot in the FPL midfielder rankings. Assists against Liverpool and Arsenal have proved that he is relatively fixture proof and with Watford’s current form and the winger’s low price tag he’s certainly worth a punt.

Premium Option: Kevin De Bruyne (10.0m)

It is essential to have at least one piece of this fearsome Manchester City offense and Kevin De Bruyne represents one of the more consistent options. With Sergio Aguero set to return this week the Belgian midfielder has one more talented option ahead of him to help rack up the assists. The striker’s return also means that Gabriel Jesus will be back to sharing the bulk of City’s chances which makes De Bruyne a slightly safer option. With five assists and a goal on the season the midfielder should feast even against a Burnley defence that has conceded less than one goal per game.

Premium Option: Christian Eriksen (9.7m)

Despite Manchester City’s myriad midfielders racking up the points every week it is actually Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen who leads the FPL midfielder point-scoring charts. The Dane has three goals and three assists for the season and, aside from Harry Kane, is the best option from what is a talented Spurs team. The North London side host Liverpool on Sunday and with the Reds’ less than impressive defensive record it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Eriksen bag another couple of assists here.

Forwards

Budget Option: Tammy Abraham (5.7m)

The young Swansea striker has outscored Roberto Firmino and Alexandre Lacazette in FPL having scored four of his side’s five goals this season. Abraham is heading into a home game against Leicester off the back of a brace against Huddersfield last week and the Foxes have conceded 13 times so far this campaign. Despite Swansea’s lack of goals it has been Abraham who profits when the Swans do find the back of the net and this is a juicy matchup for the in-form forward.

Budget Option: Mame Biram Diouf (5.4m)

Stoke have actually struggled for goals this season and have only managed nine in their eight games. However after a tough start Diouf has found some form and bagged two goals and an assist in his last two games. This week he has a home game against struggling Bournemouth to continue his hot streak. The Cherries have conceded 12 twelve times and are yet to keep a clean sheet away from the Vitality Stadium. If Stoke are going to find their scoring groove this is the game to do it.

Premium Option: Romelu Lukaku (11.8m)

Last week’s 0-0 draw at Anfield marked only the second league game of the season in which Lukaku had failed to score. With the Belgian forward failing to make an impact against Benfica in midweek he will be looking to bounce back quickly and that could happen in a big away against Huddersfield. Rightly or wrongly Lukaku has a reputation for being a flat-track bully, punishing the lesser sides and often using the fixtures as opportunities to elevate his goal tally. Huddersfield did have a decent start to the season but were torn apart by Tottenham at the end of September. Look for Lukaku to follow in Kane’s footsteps and dominate the Terriers’ defence.

Premium Option to AVOID: Roberto Firmino (8.5m)

While £8.5m doesn’t necessarily constitute a premium striker Firmino plays for one of the most explosive teams in the Premier League and can score big at any given time. This time however he could well be a dud. The Reds travel to Wembley to take on a Tottenham team that effectively neutralised Real Madrid’s terrifying strike force in midweek. Under Mauricio Pochettino Spurs are a well-drilled defensive unit and Liverpool have struggled to break teams down in recent weeks. That trend looks set to continue on Sunday and if you want to own any players in this game it’s the Tottenham attackers.